The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1887-12-15

Of history of their ever having at
tanned or even appreciated the great
impelling forces that carry the white
man onward.
The Government of the State, with
all the utensils of our civilization were
placed in their hands by the powers
that be'-to ruin, to wreck and de-
stroy what little survived a fearful
stru ggle-which changed values,
changed opinions, changed ideas,
changed society, broke links and
crushed hopes that no future can re-
store. These dire and calamitous
blows fell heavier upon the farmer
than all other classes combined. 1t
was an effort-a struggle, a battle, to
survive.
From these remarkable conditions,
there has been an output of crushing
rates of interest, which has placed, and
is placing, the farmers between the
upper and neither mill-stones. Labor
and capital, or interest at the North,
it bears ostensibly at the South 10 per
cent. But under what condition is
this paid? The farmer is placed in
the main, outside of the capacity to
control the result of his own products.
Now it is certainly within the prov
ince of the State to have enforced
such laws, as to guard it's citizens from
oppression and frauds. The means
provided to protect the farmer from
guano frauds and sales and weights of
product are very inadequate, and |
know of no leak that has been greater
to his purse, or which he has more
severely felt.
Money is a commodity, as all other
articles of value. But there should be
such legislation, as to promote it's dis
tribution and facilitate it's circulation,
and not have directed the whole ma
chinery of Government to protect
monopolists in boarding the capital of
the country. Debts or liabilities or
obligations created, should be faith.
fully filled. But as ulcers crop out
and grow and feed upon the breast of
progress-crippling its energies and
exhausting its resources, it is the plain
duty Of the Government-as far as its
power lies-to give it's citizens protec-
ton, to throw around them it's shield
of safe guards.
The great principles evolved in the
framework of our Government, which
next to nature-is the mother of its
citizens-is to give all of it's industries,
all classes, equal privileges and to
guard them with the aegis of the
| constitution.
There are further wants of the
farming Interestingly clearly need
two institutions, an agricultural and
mechanical college and an agricultural
station. The annex to the South
Carolina College should be either
greatly enlarged, Or a distinct institu.
| ton established. The immense in
terest at stake would seem to demand
it's independent action and not
trammelled by annexes. We need a
change! but how are we to reach it ?
The experimental station should teach
this-for the country, (be it said with
regret,) is too poor to attempt it-and
besides it is incompetent to execute it.
Experiments in grasses adapted to
grazing purposes and the growth of
hay a merchantable crop-in manures,
in grains, in tobacco-the castor oil
bean, hemp, flax, jute, fruit, grapes
and winemaking, silk worms and silk
and discover and work out the in
dustry most suitable to our wants, if
there is enough left of the country, by
the time we reach it, to be of any ser
vice.
[ would like to dwell more upon
these institutions, but time and your
patience will not allow it. Any cursory
observer will see their Importance
and [ hope the State is not too poor to
provide means to establish and main
tain them-and to do it thoroughly
for we want no halfway business, as
there is too much at stake.
We now enter upon the considera-
ton of two others of the many crush
ing evils bearing heavily upon the
farmer-and through him upon the
general industries of the country, and
which tend to shackle his energies and
throttle his enterprise. Keeping him
poor, almost to vagrancy and without
a change must end in his final over.
throw.
When the landed property of not
only this, but many splendid States,
will pass into stranger hands, and the